


Raise the Bar

by Burntblackfeathers



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: I Tried, Italiano | Italian, M/M, Modern Era, italian grantaire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-19 14:07:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13125297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burntblackfeathers/pseuds/Burntblackfeathers
Summary: R goes to the bar to drink and be amused and ends up getting in the middle of a less than pleasant interaction. Or, that time Childreninafairytale asked me to write something in which no one dies.





	Raise the Bar

Grantaire took a long sip of his drink and surveyed the bar. Bahorel had already left him in his pursuit of female company, as usual. Their choice of bar tonight was certainly less than civilised, but a favourite of Grantaire’s for two reasons: the low price of drinks, and the high-quality entertainment.

It’s still fairly early and the bar is nowhere near full yet, letting him have a good look at the goings on. So far he had spotted no less than two (2) bachelorette parties that promised plenty of antics and one (1) man who had tried to smuggle a small dog in his bag.

He could also see a very attractive blonde man trying very hard to not break the neck of the brute of a guy hitting on him. Grantaire was trying to ignore this. Blondie could probably handle it and he really didn't want to get in a fight tonight.

Try as he might his gaze kept coming back to the pair, even with Dog Man approaching the second group of bride’s maids. It might have been because he had a thing against creeps, it might have been because the other guy looked like the God Apollo had deigned to grace them with his presence. 

The guy was clearly not getting the hint, touching and trying to talk to the God-like being who had physically removed his hand from his shoulder twice. _Don’t get involved. ___

____

The creep says something that makes the Apollo look-alike grimace and tries to slip his hand up his thigh.

Fuck. Grantaire stands. _Sit down. He can handle it himself. ___

____

_He shouldn’t have to. ___

____

____

Approaching the two, he starts shouting. “You!” Two sets of eyes dart to him as he addresses Apollo, “I thought I told you that I never wanted to see you here again!”

Apollo goes to open his mouth, brow furrowing. Grantaire interjects, "You can't just cut me off after five years, _five years _, and then butt in to the little bit of life that I had left without you!”__

____

____

Apollo stares at him, “I don’t think you have the right…” Grantaire gives him a quick wink. _I’m trying to help, _“…the right to tell me where I can and can’t go.”__

____

____

Grantaire scoffs, "That’s rich coming from you. It's only been two weeks, and you've already moved on to this asshole" he adds, gesturing to the asshole. The guy is staring at him like R is interrupting a meaningful interaction and not a rejection trying to happen. He probably thought that this was going well.

“Hey, man. I got nothing to do with this,” he says to Grantaire, raising his hands, “I just met him tonight.”

Grantaire rounds on him, and lets a little of the venom he feels leak through, “Then why the _fuck _are you still here?”__

____

____

Apollo looks at him too, with a barely passing apologetic face, “Sorry, I really need to deal with this.”

The creep backs away like he wants no part in this shit, and oh isn’t that a familiar sight for Grantaire. “Yeah, hey, come and find me when you’re done. I’ll get us an uber.”

Apollo doesn’t even look at him, instead turning back to Grantaire with a small smile.

“Thank you” he closes his eyes, looking relaxed for the first time since Grantaire spotted him.  
“No problem, freaking out creeps is a hobby of mine.”

Apollo grins, something behind his eyes, before it settles back into a small smile. “So, we were together for five years and yet I still don't know your name”

Grantaire feigns a look of hurt, “Well, that’s probably why we broke up.”

Another grin.

He sticks out his hand, the other still around a bottle of cider, “Grantaire.”

Apollo takes it in his own, warm and soft, “Enjolras.” 

“So, Enjolras, forgive me for asking, but how did you end up in a place like this?”

Enjolras scowled, “ _Courfeyrac _, my friend. ‘Come along, I swear it will be fun.’ ‘We never hang out anymore!’ and then he goes off to flirt with people and leaves me here”__

____

____

Grantaire laughed, “Yeah, I’ve got me a friend like that. Bahorel is probably in some back corner chatting up a woman far too good looking for him.”

Grantaire took a proper look at his new companion. “I hope that I’m not overstepping here, but if you want… do you want to get something to eat? I mean, there’s no reason you have to stay here and have a shit night.”

Enjolras paused a minute, looking for something. What, Grantaire had no idea. “Okay.” He said finally, with a smile in Grantaire’s direction. _Oh. _Grantaire was so fucked.__

____

____

“Off we go then. I know just the place, do you like Italian?”

***

The trattoria that Grantaire drove them to had been there for around 30 years, family run, as he explained to Enjolras. He didn’t tell him, however, that his aunt and uncle were the family that ran it.

Upon entering, a great shout erupted from the kitchen, _“Grantaire! Buonasera, come stai? Viene, viene.” ___

____

____

Grantaire grinned, _“Buonasera Zia.” ___

____

____

She led the two of them to a table, giving them an appraising look as they sat. _“Caro, Chi è? Un ragazzo molto bello, no? Lui è il tuo ragazzo?’ ___

____

____

Grantaire groaned and glanced apologetically at Enjolras, who just smiled politely. _“No, Zia,” _a pause, _“non ancora.” _____

_____ _

_____ _

She laughed and wagged her finger. “Grantaire, you should introduce me to your friend.”

Enjolras sat forward and extended his hand, “Pierre Enjolras, Madam. Although I go by Enjolras”

She cooed, “Call me Maria, Enjolras. I’m so glad that my nephew has found a nice boy like you.”

Grantaire flushed, _“Ziaaa, perchè?” _His eyes darted to Enjolras who looked very amused.__

____

____

She left them alone after that, being called away to other customers.

“So,” Enjolras began, “You speak Italian?”

Grantaire nodded, “My mother came over with her sister. She still speaks it at home.”

“But Grantaire is a French name, are you French?”

Another nod, “My father. I have his name. That’s about all he gave me, really.”

The rest of the evening passed quite pleasantly, the two finding an easy balance but with plenty of interesting discussion. By the time his aunt came back around with a menu for desserts and embarrassing stories from Grantaire’s childhood, he was thanking that creep for starting all of this.

Mid way through his aunt informing them exactly how he used to spend his Christmases, Enjolras excused himself to take a call.

His aunt immediately rounded on him, _“Taire, mi piace questo ragazzo. _You should bring him back soon.”__

____

____

Grantaire grinned, “Yes maam.”

“Grantaire?” He turned to find Enjolras standing behind him, “Can you drop me back at the bar? Courf is drunk.”

Grantaire frowned, “Yeah, of course. I’ll drop you guys home.”

Enjolras smiled at him, “Thank you, sorry to just have to run out like this. And _Signora, grazie mille per una cena molta buona.” ___

____

____

Both Grantaire and his auntie stared. “You speak Italian?”

Enjolras shrugged, but there was a small smirk on his face “Why? Was there something that you didn’t want me to know?”

Maria burst out laughing, and shepherded them out looking sheepish but very pleased.  
The car ride was a little awkward but Grantaire supposed that he deserved that. Enjolras seemed more entertained than insulted and took pity on him after a few minutes but R blushed for a few more after that. Particularly because Enjolras kept looking at him like he liked what he saw.

The mysterious Courfeyrac helped to alleviate some of that as he rambled on about the girls and guys and enby cuties that he spent his night with. At some point, however, he seemed to notice that Grantaire was there and then all ‘conversation’ became about him.

“Soooooooo, Grantaire. Haha, like the letter, Grand ‘r’. You’re cute.”

Grantaire went back to blushing, and Enjolras scolded his friend with eyes that looked far too pleased.

“But, Enj, you know I’m right. You never go out with guys.” He attempted to waggle his eyebrows at the two of them, “Did you kiss him?”

“No,” Enjolras replied calmly, “Because you called and we had to come and get you.”

Grantaire died quietly in the front seat, “What about you Courfeyrac? Did you find someone to kiss?”  
Courfeyrac just laughed at him and proceeded to take a nap.

“He’s already in a relationship,” Enjolras explained, “He just goes out to drink and flirt.”

Grantaire nodded, and the rest of the drive passed by in a comfortable silence, with Enjolras giving him directions every now and again. Eventually they pulled up at an apartment, a tall man with glasses watching their approach.

Courfeyrac awoke as they stopped and sent a grin to the man, fumbling to open the door. Enjolras rolled his eyes and unbuckled his friend so that he could tumble out and make his way to the door. “Combefeeeerrrrrre”

Combeferre looked at him sternly, but then drew him into a hug and led him inside.  
Grantaire looked over to Enjolras, a question on his lips. Enjolras was already there, eyes on him and a hand coming up to cup his face. He paused a moment there, silently asking permission, before moving forward to press his lips against Grantaire’s. It was soft and sweet and Grantaire felt like he was on fire. Enjolras pulled back, a small smile on his face, and looked at him. “Good night, Grantaire.”

He climbed out of the car, leaving behind a piece of paper with his number scrawled on it. Grantaire took a moment to buffer and then began driving back to the bar. He owed Bahorel a drink.

**Author's Note:**

> I study Italian, but I am nowhere near fluent. If you see a mistake, please let me know. Make my day, leave a comment :)
> 
> Thank you for reading! You can find me on tumblr as burntblackfeathers


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